The invention relates to a construction kit useful as an educational or amusement device for building three dimensional geometric forms.
Numerous applications have been found for the natural geometries of three dimensional grids or frames that can be constructed from various materials using connector nodes. These include the familiar TINKER-TOY kits, as well as massive office buildings that are constructed with huge xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d beams that are welded or riveted together. Most of these are rectilinear designs with floor planes defining the X and Y axes with the vertical beams defining the Z axis of standard cubical geometry.
In other cases, architectural structures have applied the geometry of related tetrahedra and octahedra. Other polyhedra such as the rhombic dodecahedron and the terakaidecahedron are less frequently used in architecture even though they are capable of forming architectural space frames.
In constructing such forms, various methods have been used for attaching elongate beams to obtain the desired space frames. Cast, machined or riveted joints have been devised to meet the exact required angles of the particular geometry.
Many varieties of toy building kits exist for constructing these and other spatial forms; some use nodes and sticks; some use molded shapes that fit one to another; others use magnets for attaching parts together. While all these appeal to the public in general, there remains a need for additional, more challenging, kits which are capable of making novel and unusual three dimensional space frames objects. The present invention now provides kits that utilize a different construction method to create such objects to satisfy this need.
The invention relates to a toy construction kit comprising a plurality of elongated rod members of different lengths; and a plurality of joining members. Each joining member is configured and dimensioned for connecting at least three rod members together around a common vertex point in a weave pattern such that the rods pass by but do not pass through the vertex point and are oriented about the vertex point in a clockwise or counter-clockwise arrangement. After making a structure by weaving the rod members about the vertex point(s) and connecting them with the joining members, unique and original three dimensional space frame objects are obtained.
The joining members can connect the rod members in a temporary or permanent fashion so that the resulting three dimension space frame object can be either taken apart for future use of the kit, or permanent objects can be made for display. For temporary connection, the joining members may be elastic bands or cords, while for permanent construction, clay, a plastic part configured to receive the rod members in the desired orientation and arrangement about the vertex point, an adhesive, or combinations thereof, can be used.
Advantageously, at least six rod members and at least three joining members are present and positioned such that each joining member connects at least three rod members about a vertex point and at least three different vertex points are present to form at least one twist polyhedron in the space frame object. In one embodiment, at least four joining members are present, each connecting three rod members at each of at least four different vertex points to form at least one twist-tetrahedron. In another embodiment, at least six joining members are present, each connecting four rod members at each of at least six different vertex points to form at least one twist octahedron. The kit contains at least eighteen rod members and at least sixteen joining members such that at least four to twelve twist polyhedra can be formed in the space frame.
Preferably, the rod members are flexible and are substantially cylindrical. For some kits, at least some and preferably all of the rod members are formed with a zig-zag configuration to avoid bending the rod members at vertex points. When making space frames, at least one rod member extending from each vertex point is connected to at least two other rod members at another vertex point by at least one additional joining member, preferably with at least 20 to 25% of the total number of rod members extending from a vertex point in the space frame object being connected to at least two other rod members at each of at least two additional vertex points by at least one joining member at each additional vertex point to form multiple twist polyhedra in the space frame object.
The three dimensional space frame objects formed from the elongated rod members and joining members of the toy construction kit which are connected as described herein form yet another embodiment of the invention.